Programs in Brazil

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Experimento was founded in Brazil in 1964 and was the first organization to promote intercultural experiences, providing Brazilians the opportunity to travel abroad as exchange students. Experimento is focused in education, specialized in cultural travel and works only with partners with serious and proven commitment as excellent service providers.

INTO BRAZIL

Brazil is a continental-sized country where"diversity" best defines its broad possibilities for the expansion of knowledge and has always been object of scientific and cultural research.

Colonized by Europeans, Brazil has strong african and native-american components which result in a social and cultural blend seldom found in other countries.

Each year, a growing number of international schools, universities and corporations find in Brazil a very fertile ground for their projects on various fields of academic studies.From north to south and east to west, travelers experience so many diverse sensations that it feels like constantly going in and out of different countries along the way!

One of the world´s largest economies, Brazil still holds significant portions of untouched, pristine environments, home to one of the largest biodiversities found on Earth.

Human pressure caused mainly by economical development jeopardizes the balance over some global critical issues like water and energy availability, wealth and land distribution, urban planning among others, creating a favorable scenario for a wide range of possibilities concerning the study of Earth Sciences and Environmental & Social Sustainability.

Whether your interest is in Science and Sustainability, Business and Economics, Technology, Architecture, Urban Planning,Liberal Arts, Culture or a blend of diverse topics, we will design a program to meet your needs.

Do you want to understand how Brazil deals with some of the most delicate and strategic Global Critical Issues? Experimento will place you exactly where the action is!

The world´s largest exporter of beef, with a herd of more than 200 million heads

The world´s largest producer of soybeans, coffee and ethanol (biofuel)

The Amazon is the largest river by volume and 2nd largest by length (6.400 km), responsible for approximately 25% of the freshwater flow into the world´s oceans

Approximately 75% of the country´s electricity comes from hydroelectric generation

Brazil´s highest mountain is Pico da Neblina, in the Amazon region, with an altitude of 2.994 m (9.823 ft)

OUR TEAM

Our Inbound Programs are designed by our a team of experts. Check their bios below:

Fernanda Zocchio Semeoni

Fernanda has a long personal history in education.

With a Master of Science degree in Education at Harvard University, Fernanda is a fully licensed teacher specialized in School Administration.

As Principal and Director at Pueri Domus private school in São Paulo for more than 13 years, Fernanda always engaged in innovative projects focused in designing teacher training courses and learning techniques, keeping close contact with parents and students along all processes.

Participated actively on the development of Field-Trips and Study Tours for middle and high-school students of more than 100 schools that formed the Pueri Domus licensed network in the country.

After taking a Sabbatical Year in 2010, Fernanda is now Associate & Director of Operations at Experimento, deeply involved in the development of all Inbound Programs.

Demian Topel

Is an environmentalist with Biological Oceanography courses at Florida Institute of Technology.

For 11 years worked on private and governmental Solar Photovoltaic Projects for electricity generation in the Brazilian territory that included water pumping, telecommunications and electrification of remote villages and indian communities in the Amazon region.

Lecturer at the RIO-92 Conference: “The State of the Art of Solar Photovoltaics in Brazil”.

In 1993 started his career in Ecological Tourism, and was responsible for Brazil´s first commercial cave-diving operations in the region of Bonito, a limestone province in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul.

In 1997 founded his own tour-operator, Terra Nativa Ecoturismo, a company that is recognized for its excellence and professionalism in performing Field-Trips for some of the most important private schools in São Paulo. Demian was a pioneer in introducing the concepts of Social & Environmental Sustainability as master guidelines on trips.

At Experimento, Demian is in charge of the Inbound Department, designing programs that offer amazing opportunities for groups to experience Brazil.

PROGRAM MANAGERS AND TRIP LEADERS

Experimento prepares and trains its professionals so that they are able to provide outstanding customer service, and consequently deliver the best possible experiences.Our special traveling team is composed of experienced, English-speaking professionals perfectly in tune with our program contents.From environmentalists and business consultants to scientists, artists and nature photographers, we are all very passionate about our work. And it certainly shows!

LOGISTICS AND SUPPORT

Although it may sound strange, we actually do not want you to feel at home on your trip to Brazil.Our goal is to make you feel part of a new scenario, interacting with interesting people, traveling over wonderful landscapes and experiencing situations and sensations that not always are a reality back home. Comfortably. Happily. Safely.With that target in mind, we design our programs logistics in order to connect all activities in the most logical and efficient way, from academic and technical visits to outdoor environments.The full solution: Delivering reliability and top-notch services, taking care of accommodation, meals, transportation and visits, Experimento offers a smooth stay so you can concentrate on what really matters: your experience!

PARTNERING LOCALLY

Many of our trips involve interaction with important NGOs as well as visits and lodging in traditional communities.Experimento praises the inclusion of local initiatives along its programs and, whenever possible, we partner with serious institutions and micro entrepreneurs such as guides, artists, cooks, transportation owners and other qualified service providers. We feel that this partnership is a very important tool to ensure sustainable local income generation while adding precious native knowledge to the trip.

EXPERIMENTO’S MISSION

To promote differentiated international learning experiences that lead to personal and professional growth.

Experimento’s Inbound Department Mission

To offer unique educational, cultural and social opportunities through real-life experiences in Brazil.

Associations

Experimento is the Brazilian exclusive member of The Experiment in International Living (EIL), founded in 1932, which was one of the first entities of its kind to engage individuals in intercultural living and learning. Experimento is also member of WISE Confederation, ALTO, IAPA, BELTA – Brazilian Educational Language Travel Association and Embratur - Brazilian Ministry of Tourism.

Awards

I WAS THERE

“My visit to Brazil was incredible and unforgettable. Partnering with Demian and Experimento was the best decision. It was a remarkable experience getting to take part in an educational and environmental volunteer opportunity in a local school where social inequality and entrepreneurship were addressed. The impact was profound for the students, community and myself. We were also able to learn about sustainability initiatives in the Amazon rainforest . Taking a boat trip down a river in the Amazon region was definitely a highlight.The Brazilian culture was diverse and welcoming. I enjoyed the perfect weather, delicious food, unspoiled beaches, famous natural attractions, and the unbelievable wildlife in the Amazon. I look forward to coming back to Brazil over and over again.”

Rachel HarrisDirector, Center for Student EnrichmentCoordinator of International Service ProjectsNorthern Michigan University

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our programs

Experimento’s Inbound Department opens this amazing country to foreign students, volunteers and groups of specific interests in search of cultural, experiential or academic exchange through the following programs:

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FACULTY-LED & STUDY PROGRAMS

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Faculty Led Programs and Scientific Tours are short-term (one to four weeks) tailor made programs for university, high-school and professional groups in search of practical opportunities to expand their knowledge and get deeper into Brazilian Studies.

These programs in foreign countries are excellent ways to gain and exchange academic and practical expertise by performing out-of-class, hands-on activities combined with lectures and visits to companies and institutions related to specific areas of interest.

Whether indoors or outdoors, Experimento will assist you in creating tailor made itineraries in perfect tune with your academic requirements, connecting you with the best suited institutions and professionals inside the country and providing a bridge to precious native knowledge and expertise.

These programs are also tailored to meet the requirements of groups with specific interests such as Museums, Research Institutions, Corporations etc.

We are Brazilians, we know the country and we are ready to show you around!

BEING THERE

“Working with the staff at Experimento Brasil is a pleasure for me. I have complete confidence that they share in our mission of intercultural immersion and that they have a thorough understanding of programming in environmental sustainability. On top of that, they are kind and easy to work with. 100% of our students who participated in the program last summer said that they would highly recommend the program to their peers, and many said the homestay was the highlight. This feedback really speaks to the quality of the content and experience as a whole, and is music to my ears.”

Jessika Macías - Program OfficerThe Experiment in International Living- USA, a program of World Learning

I WAS THERE

"Northern Michigan and São Paulo couldn’t be more different from each other. However with the help of Experimento, we were able to make connections across continents, countries, and communities. Demian and the folks at Experimento helped to open our eyes to new ways of collaborating with the people of Brazil. We were captivated by the people and moved by the hospitality they showed us. This experience is truly an opportunity to extend our reach into another world. Thank you Experimento. "

Business and Economics

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Our Business and Economics programs are an interesting blend of lectures at highly ranked universities, visit to industries, law offices, investment banks and media companies as well as to important infrastructure complexes such as hydroelectric plants and water and waste treatment units.

From biofuels and citrus production plants to agricultural research institutes, our programs offer a wide array of interaction possibilities with the most important links of the food production chain in Brazil.

Students have the opportunity to be exposed to the academic, the governmental and the private sector perspectives of business operations in the country.

Programs can run in diverse regions of Brazil, depending on the topics and contents required by the group. Since the state of São Paulo concentrates most of the country´s wealth and the main financial and industrial districts we will use this important town as an example of a typical program.

Programas

The State of São Paulo: Brazil´s Driving Power

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A state that is responsible for one third of the country´s GNP, São Paulo appears as the natural destination for groups that wish to understand the Brazilian Economy and its relation with the global market.

If the state were a country, it would be placed among the 40 largest world economies.

But not everything happens in São Paulo city - The state is a strong player when it comes to agribusiness as well, being responsible for one third of Brazil´s agro-industrial national product.

An extension to Rio de Janeiro is an option in this program.

Possible areas for studies

The Brazilian Consumer Market: Trends and Challenges

The Brazilian Economy

The Brazilian Banking System

Media Companies in Brazil

Agribusiness in São Paulo

How to do Business in Brazil

Best season: All year around.Ideal length of trip: 8 nights.

The State of São Paulo

Sustainability and Earth Sciences

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Brazil is a hotspot when it comes to studying the concepts of environmental and social sustainability.

Matching the “progress versus conservation” curve while ensuring quality of life is one of the country´s biggest challenges.

Based on more than 20 years designing educational programs in natural environments in Brazil, Experimento offers a wide range of possibilities for the visiting group to witness and experience real-life situations where the relation between Man and the Environment ranges from critical to harmonious. Specific programs focusing on Climate Change, Biology, Geology, Biodiversity etc can be designed according to the group´s demand.

The following are just examples of what a typical program in natural environments can look like.

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The Amazon: The Forest and Traditional Communities

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Very few places in the planet hold as much mystery as the Amazon. Considered one of man´s last frontiers on Earth, this fantastic region offers a wide variety of possibilities for a study program.

Starting from Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas, or Belém, the capital of the state of Pará, our groups cruise along Amazonian rivers and its tributaries on exclusive, especially prepared boats, which are the best way of getting to the points to be studied on the rainforest. From these base-boats, canoes and kayaks explore the igarapés, the smaller watercourses that wind into the igapós, the labyrinths formed by the flooded forest. A truly amazing experience!

Students have the opportunity to meet and interact with isolated, traditional communities and also trek along the forest with expert local guides that have been born and raised in the Amazon. Upon demand, laboratories can be installed on board. Comfortable jungle lodges are available and can be reached by land transport or by boat.

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*Photo credit: Katerre

Possible areas for studies

Deforestation and Climate Change

Biodiversity and Ecology

Anthropology

Traditional Communities: Sustainable extraction, Culture and Native Knowledge of the Forest People

Ethnobotany and Medicinal Plants

Academic exchange with local governmental and private institutions engaged in Amazonian studies and research

Best season: From July to February.Ideal length of trip: minimum 10 nights.

The Amazon

The Atlantic Rainforest: From a Limestone Province to Pristine Mangroves

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This program was designed to provide a fascinating experience beginning at the exuberant rain forest that covers the PETAR State Park and its more than 200 limestone caves and ending at the mangroves and sandy beaches of the Atlantic Ocean, on the Cardoso Island State Park.

Upper Ribeira State Park – PETARCut by the crystalline Betary River that flows through the Paranapiacaba Mountain Range in the southeastern portion of the state of São Paulo, this important conservation unit presents a unique combination of limestone karstic caves and the Atlantic Forest.

An ideal site for geology, speleology and biodiversity study programs. Very close to the park area, along the Ribeira River, many “Quilombos” (which are rural communities originally formed by fugitive African slaves of the 19th century) thrive on sustainable agriculture along the forest edge and fight against the construction of hydroelectric dams that would force these centenary settlements to move to higher areas. A critical social/environmental issue similar to others lived by communities throughout the planet. Students will have the possibility of visiting these communities and debate crucial social aspects that are vital to the survival of the people and their environment.

The town of Cananéia and the Cardoso Island State ParkSituated at 260 km (160 mi) from the city of São Paulo, the small town of Cananéia is the gateway to Brazil´s best preserved Atlantic Forest and mangrove areas. This region, encompassing around 200 km (125 mi) of virtually untouched sandy beaches and rocky shores is considered by the international community as the Southern Atlantic Nursery for marine species and was declared by UNESCO a Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site.

Here, students will have the opportunity to participate in activities that will help them understand how development and natural resources exploitation can be conciliated with conservation and sustainability. Also, students will be presented to the peculiar “Caiçara” culture, as the original people that live in and from this coastal region are known. The group will trek on the forest and deserted beaches in the Cardoso Island State Park, interact with fisherman communities and also will be presented to important conservation projects that deal with sustainable extraction of marine resources.

The state of Mato Grosso do Sul, in central Brazil, is characterized as being typically agricultural and cattle raising oriented. Home of huge farms, of up to 250.000 acres, Mato Grosso do Sul also holds a few of Brazil´s most striking natural beauties. Our suggested itinerary will concentrate in two regions, Pantanal and Bonito, which pose a rare opportunity for visitors to be exposed to an astonishing landscape teeming with life, as well as to peculiar cultural and historical aspects.

In 2013, Bonito was awarded “The Best Destination for Responsible Tourism” by the World Travel Market´s “World Responsible Tourism Awards” in London.

PantanalInternationally considered as one of the world´s last natural reserves, with an area larger than England and Scotland together, these seasonally flooded wetlands hold wildlife only matched by the African savannah. Here, man and fauna coexist, adapting to the annual flooding of this magical land. In terms of wildlife observation, the Pantanal provides fascinating experiences, and is one of the best spots on Earth for bird watching. The Pantanal is home for the hyacinth-macaw, a species that made a strong comeback after being one of the most prized species on the illegal trafficking of wild animals. Since encounters with jaguars are frequent, some important and successful big-cat conservation projects are carried out in the area. Here, students will stay in a typical farm, having a unique chance to interact with the local people and folklore.

Bonito – A Limestone ProvinceBonito is a small city of about 30.000 people, located 320 km (200 mi) from Campo Grande, the capital of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The city’s main commercial activity is cattle farming, with some isolated areas of agriculture. Since 1993, ecotourism has been growing, due the very special local ecological features, and Bonito was awarded for 11 consecutive times “the best ecotourism destination in Brazil”.Bonito is a reference in Brazil as far as responsible tourism is concerned. Ultra crystalline rivers teeming with plant and animal diversity cut through this region. Snorkeling, scuba-diving, blue-water caves and trekking over the "Cerrado", a savannah-like environment, are the main activities. Bonito is one of the best places for the research and close encounters with anacondas and other important members of the aquatic fauna. Culture in Bonito, as well as in the Pantanal region, is mainly that of cattlemen origin, influenced by "gauchos" of neighboring Argentina and Paraguay. There are some Indian reservations in the area, which live on subsistence agriculture and the selling of pottery.

The Island of Fernando de Noronha: A Case Study on Natural Resources Management

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The archipelago of Fernando de Noronha is located at 550 km (305 nautical miles) from the northeastern Brazilian coast, on the Atlantic Ocean, and comprises 21 islands and islets of volcanic origin. With an area of 26 square kilometers and a population of around 3.000 inhabitants on the main island, Fernando de Noronha is a Marine National Park as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Besides being considered one of the most beautiful islands of the Atlantic Ocean, Fernando de Noronha appears as an ideal opportunity for a study-trip, due to a very particular set of social and environmental features that originate from its isolation from the mainland.

The main idea of this program is to view the island as a microcosm as compared to Planet Earth (the macrocosm).

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*Photo credit: Zaira Matheus

Possible areas for studies

Some of the most important and strategic Global Critical Issues are present in Fernando de Noronha, and are totally available to be analyzed as a Case Study:

Academic exchange with conservation and research projects such as TAMAR (Marine Turtles)

Best season: From July to February.Ideal length of trip: Minimum of 5 nights on the island.

Fernando de Noronha

DESIGNING YOUR PROGRAM

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We kindly ask you to thoroughly fill the form below.With all the necessary information in hands, we will carefully plan your itinerary, selecting the adequate activities and working on the logistics in a cost-effective, efficient way.Along this process, our team will work in full synergy with your institution, in order to deliver a truly customized program.

Design your Program

VOLUNTEER AND SOCIAL SERVICE

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*Photo credit: Luis Salvatore/IBS

An opportunity to make a difference by working in groups with non-governmental organizations acting basically on Social and Environmental projects throughout Brazil.

Being a volunteer is, for many, a matter of citizenship and achievement; for others, a mission one should not stay away from.

For Experimento Brazil, being a volunteer is to have the opportunity to engage in programs that blend personal growth, intercultural exchange and self-fulfillment through real, “hands-on” activities in amazing environments.

Aware that Brazil plays a very important role when it comes to Social and Environmental Sustainability, Experimento´s Volunteer Programs concentrate on the so called Global Critical Issues that are present in the country.

Programs are available for high-school and university students, as well as for corporate groups:

Student Groups: 10 or more participants

Corporate: 10 or more participants

Program Sites

Experimento has established and developed close relationships with non-governmental and independent organizations all over the country, resulting in appealing volunteer project possibilities where participants can really add and make a difference. Each project is selected based on the group´s interest to make the best possible match.

For example:The Amazon - Social and Environmental Sustainability Projects in Traditional CommunitiesSão Paulo: Homestay in the town of Monte Alegre do Sul and living in a fisherman village in the state´s North ShoreRio de Janeiro: Social Projects in Urban AreasThe Brazilian Northeast: Social Projects in small, rural villages

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Photo Credit: Luis Salvatore/IBS and Atados

Duration

Programs are short-term, ranging from 1 to 4 weeks.For corporate and groups of special interest, programs are designed to run at any season.

Accommodation

Is offered according to the project and can be in:

Brazilian host family

Hostel

Lodge

Hammocks in specially prepared boats

All the possibilities are excellent ways to learn about the Brazilian way of life and to practice Portuguese. Brazilians have a reputation for being warm and fun-loving, making it easy for the group to integrate in a short time.

I WAS THERE

“It has been almost one year since cooperating with Experimento for the Samsung Electronics project at Tupé traditional community in Manaus, Amazon, which paved the way to make a better life both for locals and volunteers. The volunteers rebuilt the Community Center, renovated the Telecenter and taught IT to locals. The Community Center and the Telecenter now have great flexibility of use.Trust and confidence are vital factors in cooperation, as is true of any other cases in our history between Experimento and Better World. We had great harmony with solid belief for each other in this project. Personally, it seems like only yesterday that I was in Brazil and Experimento, special thanks to Demian, made this project the most memorable. Thank you very much and it has been a great pleasure for all of us in Better World.”

The above film refers to Samsung Korea´s Volunteer Program in the Amazon, August 2014. In-country planning, logistics and operation by Experimento in partnership with Better World (Korea) and Estação Gabiraba (Belém, Brazil).